Intaglio printing press



Oct. 13, 1931. A. T. CHESTER ETAL I 1,327,684

INTAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 13. 1929 I2 Sheets-Sheet l l lllilllllli a 1mm L i .Jll um T 6/1 7" CL 2 C/axfon rz.

-r ATTO NEYS- Oct. 13, 1931. A. T. CIZHESTER ETAL 1,827,684

INTAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 15, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO EYS Oct. 13; 1931. A. 'r. CHESTER ETAL INTAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 13, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY$ A. T. CHESTER ETAL INTAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Oct. 13, 1931.

Filed Aug. 13, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 k is:

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Oct. 13, 1931. A. T. CHESTER ETAL INTAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Filed 15, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Oct. 13, 1931.

A. T. CHESTER ETAL 84 INTAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 13, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 ATTOR EIYS A. T. CHEST ER ETAL INTAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Oct. 13, 1931 Filed Aug. 13, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 ATTQRNEY GOOO I A. T. CHESTER ETAL 84 INTAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Oct.13, 1931.

Filed Aug. 13, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 14 ATTORN EY Oct. 13, 1931. CHESTER L 1,827,684

IN'IAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 13, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 ATTORNEYS Oct. 13, 1931;

A. T. CHESTERETAL 1,827,684 INTAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Filed Augl3, 9 l2 Sheets-Sheet ll A. T. CHESTER ETAL ,827,684

INTAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 13, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 0 RS as few ref/70w ATTORN EYS Oct; 13, 1931.

Patented Oct. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE ARTHUR r. orms'rna AND A. CLAXTON easy, or BYE, new YORK m'rAeLro ram'rmo rams Application filed August la, 1929. Serial No. 385,504.

. Our invention relates to printing presses adapted to. print from intaglio steel plates and the objects of our invention are to overcome the many difficulties now encountered L in this form of printing, to reduce the cost of .;production and increase the rate of produc-' tion in a marked degree. i

Printing presses for intaglio printing now generally used consist of abedwhich supligports'the plate, and aroller which is ap lied with-great pressure to the surface 0 the plate in order to produce an impression on the paper interposed between the plate and roller. To obtain-as highproduction as possible it is customary to use a large plate and to carry thereonasmanyengravingsof the subject to'be printed as possible. A large plate, however, introduces ditficulties which to a great degree nullify the production ad- 53 vantages obtained by its increased size.

' When the plate is hardened, as it usually is,- some warpingtakes place and in orderto print from such a plate the process of make ready is long and tedious. It is likewise necessary to apply a very heavypressure to the printing rollerior cylinder in order to obtain 'a satisfactory impression and frequently suchpressure results in the bending of the cylinder shaft or'the breakage of some 33 other part of the press.

The paper to be printed upon usually requires some degree at least of wettingand this is not always easy to obtain to the proper degree and it is difficult to obtain uniformity of production because of the necessity of maintaining the proper degree of moisture under' different conditions of atmosphere.

The difiiculties above enumerated, and others, are'completely overcome and added advantages obtained by our present invention, the very important feature of WhlCl'l.'l S the substitution of fluid pressure applied direct- 'ly tothe paper covering the intaglio plate, for the present printingbed, and roller, the fluidfpressure being applied through a flex-.-

ible medium"; together with automatic means v for successively feeding plates to the printin'g head, ejecting the plates after printing,

, inking and wiping them automatically and I returning them totlre printing head.

the same scale as Figure 1;

Another important feature is the provision. of means for rinting by fluid pressure, from a plurality o intaglio plates simultaneously. Preferably such plates are arranged one .above another in a printing head, but other arrangements may be used and we do not desire to limit ourselves to the construction shown.

Further features reside in various control devices which insure the proper relative timing of the (printing operation and the plate feeding an ejecting operations. 7

A still further feature of the invention consists in automatic means for changing a plate, that is to say forsubstituting for a plate which is passing through the usual cycle of being printed, inked and wiped,a new plate, without stopping the regular cycle of operation of the press.

Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description and claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view showing rather diagrammatically the general arrangement of our improved printing prem Figure 2 is a diagrammatic elevation on Figures 1a, 1b and 10 taken together 80 show in elevation and partly in section the printing head and the plate feeding, inking and wiping mechanism on one side of the head; i i 85 Figures 2-a zindQ-b show part of the same mechanism in plan; Figure 3 is a section through a plate holder and pressure container on a scale somewhat larger-than that shown in Figure 1--a;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 represent in more or less diagrammatic form the parts concerned in the ositioning of a plate in the printing head an the ejection therefrom of a plate from which-a printing impression has been taken; 95 Figures 4'-a, 5a,'6-a, 6--b and 6 -0 show diagrammatically the various positions of'a plate in passing from the lower track level-to the higher track level; m Figure 7 is a view showing the plate-chang- 1 ing mechanismina diflferent position from that shown in Figure 10;

Figure 8 is a plan view of a portion of the plate changing mechanism; 7 Figure 9 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 10 is a section showing the operation of the switch shown in the lower portion of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a detail showing the means 1 for operating this switch;

. Figure 12 is a top plan view of some of the mechanism connected with the wiping and polishing of the plates, showing the feed rolls for the cloth and some of the mechanism for reciprocating the wipers and polishers;

Figure13 is aview partly in elevation and partly .in section showing the same mechamsm;

Figure 14 is a detail of the bearing for the bed which supports the plates during the wipingand polishing operation;

Figure 15 is a detail of this mechanism viewed from theoutside of the supporting frame;

Figures 16A,'B-Cisacomposite,partly v "sectional and partly diagrammatic view, illustrating the action of the valves controlling the admission of fluid pressure to the piston and also showing in diagrammatic form the various circuits and the method of control; p

Figure 17 is a side elevation of the composite switch shown in plan in Figure 1-5-6; Figure 18 is a section showing the arrangements of the contacts of this switch";

' Figure 19 is a detail of a drive from the chain to the ink fountain roller;

Figure '20 is a detail'o'f the switch 158 40 shown in dotted lines in Figure 1-21 and controlled by the piston; I p Figure 21 is a detail'of a plate-engaging driving lug; and p I Figure 22 is a detail of the stops for the pressurecontainers.

Since one'ofhe important objects to be attained is a printing press capable of large 1 p production, we have shown. in the preferred embodiment of the invention a printing head arranged to accommodate a plurality of printing plates and to print from these simultaneously.

Since a further object of the invention is the attainment of-continuous, automatic opera-tion, we provide duplicate conveyor mechanisms whereby ajnumber of plates are fed into the press, and they press operated to print "from such plates simultaneously, the plates being then removed from the press to be pre- 0 pared for another printing operation.

, The general layout of the press is indicated diagrammatically: in Figure 1 wherein thenumeral 1 representsthe printing head capable of accommodating a number" of plates at the same time andwhile in this particular containers for limited" vertical movement wlthin the printing head. Inside the grooves layout, .four plates may be printed from at once, the invention is not necessarily limited to this number and, of course, a lessnumber of lates may be used if desired.

he plates are fed'to the head by means of conveyors in the form of endless chains running both ways from the head, there being a second set at right angles to the first set, the four sets of plate conveyors being exactly alike.

The printing head itself is shown in enlarged sectional view,-Figure 1 a, and consists of a base 2 from which rise four pillars 3 surmounted by a pressure-sustaining head or. cap 4, the pressure head being made of steel or other suitable material and capable 'through the medium of uid pressure containers each having a flexible wall adjacent the printing surface of a plate. These fluid pressure containers are shown in Figure 1-41 at 6, and in a somewhat enlarged view in Figure 3. Each consists of a plate recessed on its. lower surface, and cemented in the recess is a bagof rubber or other suitable flexible material, the corners being reinforced by leather. The outside edges of each con-- tainer have attached thereto lugs 8 Figure 2a and Figure 22, which lugs project into grooves 9 in posts 10 which serve to guide the we 9 are stops 11 so placed that when the lugs 8 rest uponthesestops the containers are equally distant apart and out of contact with each other.

Normally the piston 5 is in its lower position shown in Figure 1a, and the containers occupy the positions shown in this figure, with a plate holder containing a plate to be printed, resting upon each container except the to one. The bottom plate rests upon the 'topo thepiston.

As shown in Figure 3 eaichplate holder 12 supports a plate 13 which is retained in position by a frame 14 surrounding the plate andhaving undercut portions as shown, the frame being secured to the plate by screws 15.

Figure 3 also shows a pressure container 6 with its flexible face consisting of a bag 16 having the reinforcement 17 already referred to '1"- -Fluid pressure is applied directly to the j' paper covering the plate through the medium of the flexible. face of the pressure container,

the fluid being introduced into the container 125 through a connection 18 tapped into one side of the container as shown at 19.

The pressure sustaining head or cap 4 of the printing head and the pillars 3 are designed to withstand the total pressure of the 130 35 occupy the place of the ejected plate. Each iston when full pressure is applied to its ase. The piston size is such that the area of its face to which the fluid ressure is applied is greater than the areao the lower face of the flexible wall of the pressure container.

On opposite sides of the printing head and on a level with the top of the piston when it is in its lowest osition as shown in Figure 1a, are pairs of tracks 20 leading horizontally away from the head., 1 Above and parallel to these tracks is a second and shorter pair of tracks 21 at the level of the upper face of the lower container. The same relative arrangement tracks are placed on the two sides of the press at right angles to those just described, as shown in Figure 1, these tracks being at the level of the upper face of the second and third containers respectively when these containers are in their normal position shown in Figure 1a, with the pis- 1 ton down. These support and guide a plate holder with its plate and along which it is v conveyed on rollers described later.

' in Figure 1a.

The operation in general consists in pushing a plate into the printing head from opposite sides thereof attwo different levels. This operation will be apparent from Figure 1a where a plate holder is shown at the right, just outside of the head at a lower level, and a plate holder at the left side at a higher level. There is also a plate in the head, one adjacent each of the plates positioned outside. If the outside plates are each moved towards the head they will push out of the head the plate which isalready in the head and themselves plate ,is conveyed to the ends of the tracks vwhen-the direction of travel of the conveyor is then reversed and the plate is brought back. During this travel it passes under an inking roller and under wiping and polishing members and again returns to the position shown In the construction shown, there are four plates in the press at the same time and four plates are outside of the head being prepared for printing, the operation being a continuous one. That is to say, the piston is raised and pressure applied through the pressure containers, to the plates within the head and during this time the plates outside of the head, after being conveyed to the inking, wiping and polishing mechanisms, are brought back to the printing head which in the meantime has been operated to perform the printing, the piston having again descended to the lower position shown in Figure .1a so that the head is open ready ,to receive the inked and wiped-plates and to have the plates which have just been printed,'ejected therefrom.

'Since the means for conveying the plates A 'to the inking,- wiping and polishing mechanism is identical on each side ofthe printing head it will be necessary to describe only one of these mechanisms in detail. y

As shown in Figures 1a and 1-6, (which should be read together), the tracks 20 extend from a point adjacent the printing head to a point indicated at 24, Figure 1?), at 5 which point the track is interrupted by a hinged connection 25 for a purpose which Will be explained later. The upper tracks 21 Figure 1b, situated at a definite distance apart, this distance being substantially equal to that between two sets of rollers 29 carried near the front and at the rear of a plate holder. These track sections are also shown in Figures 5 and 6, 4:a, 5-a, 6ab and 0. The tracks 21 just to the left of the hinged section 26 are cut away sufficiently to permit the rear rollers 29 to pass from the tracks 21 down the incline 26 to the lower tracks 20, Figure 6, the front rollers at the same time passing down the incline 27 so that a plate holder passes by a parallel movement from the upper tracks 21 to the lower tracks 20.

Movement of the plate holders and plates along the tracks is effected by conveyor chains 22 driven by sprocket wheels, said chains travelling parallel to the tracks and outside thereof.

Adjacent to the printing head on four sides thereof these conveyor chains pass about sprocket wheels 23, shown adjacent to the pillars 3, Figs. 1-(1 and 2a, one of which is shown to the right of the printing head, Figure 1-41. These wheels turn on stub shafts 23a projecting from the pillars 3 as shown in Figure 2-a. v

The upper portion of each chain beyond the short tracks 21 is deflected from a straight line by two additional sprocket wheels 31 and 32, Figure 1-6, to conform to the track at the incline 27. At the ends remote from the printing head each sprocket chain passes over a sprocket wheel 33, Figure 10, the axis of this wheel having mounted thereon a spur wheel 36 engaging a pinion 37 driven from a motor 60 supported on a suitable base 260. I Y

- Sprocket wheels 31 and 32 turn on stub shafts 31a and 32a passing into plates 38 secured to brackets 38a screwed to the pillars 3 (Figure 2a).

For the purpose of conveying the plate holders towards and away from the printing head the sprocket chains carry lugs 34 and 35.

' These lugs are in transverse alignment but the lugs 34 are in a different vertical plape from that occupied by the lugs 35 as is made clear from Figure 2-a.

One of these lugs 34 is shown in enlarged view in Figure 21. In this figure the lug 1s shown as pivoted to a projection on one of the chain links, a spring normally tending to ..hold' said lug against a stop 39. A. lug so mounted will drive in one direction of movement of the chain while in the other direction of movement the spring will permit the lug to move past any obstruction in its path.

Each plate holder is provided on one edge with a plate 40 secured by screws. This. plate has itsends bent as shown in' Figure 2-a, providing a vertical elongation at each end, constituting a lug 42 and by which lugs a plate holder is moved'by the chains through the medium of the chain lugs 34 and 35 (Figures 4 and 5).

These figures show diagrammatically how a plate is delivered to and positioned in the printing head, and a plate from which a printing impression has been taken, ejected from the head. i

In Figure 4 a plate holder 12 at the right is being pushed out of the head by another plate holder 12 which is shown as. positioned about half-way within the head, it being driven. in this direction by the lugs 35 of the chain engaging behind the plate holder lugs 42 The sprocket chains on opposite sides of the printing head are driven in opposite directions by the electric motors 60, there being one motor 60 for each'pair of chains.

- Therefore, as the chain on the left side ofthe head operates to push its plate holder 12 mto the-head by the lugs 35, and eject the plate to the right which'has just been printed, the

, chain at'the right of the printing head is pushing another plate holder 12 into the printing head which acts to eject a plate holder 12 whose plate has just been printed.

Figure 5 shows the completion of the posi-' tioning of two plates in the head and the complete ejection'oftwo other plates from the head,'the lower plate 12 having been completelyejected from the head on the left side and onto the track 20, while the plate 12 on the rightside occupies the upper track 21;

Figure 5. shows the position of the parts after the lugs 35 have ,passed aroundthe sprocket wheel 23 and have reached a position just in contact with the back of the lugs 42 of the lower plate.

As lugs 35 pass over sprocket 23 they act with camming efi'ect on the lugs. 42 of the I shown in Figure 1- z, whereby the plate.

holders are accurately positioned in the head in vertical alignment.

plate holder to accurately position it in the printing head." Theplate40 is of such width that its lower'edge extendsa little below the plate holder thereby forming a stop which abuts the. piston in the case of the lowest" holder; theplates 40 of the upper hblders abutting-the pressure containers fi as When the sprocketv chains are moving clockwise, 35am the driving lugs as'shown as such holder is entering the head. To per,-

mit this each holder is notched .as shown at 34a, Figure 2a.

Since-the operation of all of the chains is alike we shall trace the movement of a plate 12 which has just been ejected from the head and rests with its rollers 29 on the track20 to theleft of the head. A plateholder 12 is always returned. to .the head at the same level it previously occupied. Therefore this particular plate whose progress we shall trace will be returned to the same position it is shown. to occupy in Figure 5. We

shall later describe how a plate holder ejected on to the tracks 21 is returned to. the same position.

Starting then with a plate in the position shown in Figure 5, continued operation of the driving chains will cause the lug 35 to carry this plate holder 12 along with 'them, the lugs 34 at this time being the leading lugs and performing no function until the direction ofdrive ofthe chain is reversed, as will...

be later described.

It may be here stated parenthetically that as a plate holder. is ejected from the printing head it operates a switch 193 to close a circuit through the motor 60 appropriated to its driving chains. This switch is a composite one and also controls the supplying of "fluid pressure to the piston 5 whereby the" plates are brought in contact with the containers. A description .of its construction and detailed-mode of operation will therefore be deferred 'until later. i

Since the plate holder whose travel we are A tracing has been ejected from the head di rectly onto the tracks 20, the rollers 29 will pass under the hinged sections 26 and '27 of .the traeks20. and lift them. These sections are connected and constructed to bear with suflicient friction against their pivots so that they remain in whatever position they are left, and such position is shown in Figpasses along the upon a movable 'bed or frame which at this time isin its lowered position, there is no 'contact between the elements of the polishing, wiping and inking mechanism and the;

The plate passes on to portion of the track.' 0

20 shown in Figure 1'c, its lug 42 encounters an arm 44 of a reversing switch shown in Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11. The arm 44 of this switch is shown at the extreme left of Figure 5. Figure 11, however, shows the arm 44 in its normal position with the lug 42 just about to make contact with it and move it to the dotted line position, the lug 42 being shown just leaving the arm at this point. The arm 44 is pivoted to a second arm 45 at 46, there being a lug 47 projecting from the arm 45 to form a rigid connection between 44 and 45 when the arm 44 is encountered by a plate approaching from the right in Figure 11. Arm is secured to a vertical shaft 48, Figures 9 and 11, which shaft carries a lower arm 49 to which is pivoted a pawl 50 for engagement with a ratchet 51, in driving relation with the electrical contact elements 53 of the reversing switch. A spring 52 surrounds the shaft 48 and holds it in such position that the arm 45 andcontact arm 44 normally occupy the full line position shown in Figure 11. Therefore, when the plate holder passes beyond the dotted line position of the lug 42 the spring 52 snaps the shaft and parts connected therewith back to normal. When a plate holder is moving in the opposite direction and it encounters the arm 44, said arm moves on its pivot 46 out of the way and permits the plate holder to pass on without affecting the switch. The switch elements, therefore, are moved only in one direction through the ratchet 51 and pawl 50. When the switch elementsare in the position shown in Figure 10 and with either one of the contact members 195 or 244 closing the circuit to the motors 60, the current passes from the battery55 through either contact member 195 or contact 244 and lead 56, to contact 57 of the switch element 53; thence by way of contact arms 58 to lead 59 and through the motor 60. From the other side of the motor it passes by way of lead 61 to contact arm 62; then by way of contact 63 to lead 64 back to the battery.

Upon the actuation of the arm 44 by the passage of each plate the switch members are turned through 90. When, therefore, the

the dotted line position shown in Figure 10, the current then passes from the battery 55 through contact members. 195 or 244 and lead 56 to contact 57, but at this time the arm 58 is in engagement with contact 65 so that the current then passes through lead 66 to the motor on the opposite ,side'thereof, passing thence through lead 67 to contact 68 which is then in electrical connection with arm 62 which conveys the current to contact 63 and through lead 64 back to the battery.

The motor being reversed the plate now moves in the opposite direction under action V of the lugs 34 which now become the'driving plugs, and when the plate reaches the position switch elements'are so turned as to occupy shown in Figure 6 it operates mechanism which controls the inking of the plate and its subsequent wipin and polishing. The details of this mec anism will now be described.

In order that the plate may be properly inked and subsequently wiped and polished, such a plate upon reaching the position shown in Fig. 6 passes upon a movable bed. This bed 70, Fig. 1b, is supported upon a suitable base 71 having frame members72 extending upwardly a sufiicient distance to support various mechanisms of the press.

The bed 'is in the form of a casting having side members 74 and 75 and -a central rib 76. The side members 74 and 75 and the'upper portion of the rib member 76 are notched to support a series of rollers 77 shown in Figs. 1-b and 2b.

The bed 70 is supported for limited vertical movement on the base by two shafts 78, the ends of which are eccentrically supported in circular bearings 80 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 13 and in detail in Figs. 14 and 15. The bearings 80 are inserted from the outside of the support 71, said supports on either side being cut out to the size of the bearing and being bored through with a tool of smaller diameter so as to leave an ed e to prevent the bearing from moving inwardly, this edge be ing cut away for a portion of its circumference to permit the eccentric shaft to have the proper clearance. To further secure the shaft against movement, a retaining member 82, shown at Fig. 15, is screwed to the support 71.

To the inside facesof the bearings 80 are secured arms 84, Figs. 1 'b, 13, 14 and 15. These arms are connected by a link pivoted at its left hand end to an arm 86 secured to a shaft 87 which extends transversely of the machine and is pivoted in the frame members 72, as shown in Fig. 2b. There is one arm 86 on either side of the machine and likewise arms 84 and links 85,. From the construction just described it will be apparent that if the links 85 are moved so that the arms84 rotate from the full line position shown in Fig. 1b 'to the dotted line position shown therein, the whole bed 7 O'and its supporting rollers 77 will be,elevated. The portion 25 of the track 20 being hinged at 24 will permit this movement, the ends of the movable portion 25 being joined to the bed by slotted connections When the bed is in its raised position the center of each shaft 78 is in a position slight ly beyond the center of the'bearings 80 so that the bed must rise slightly in order to assume its lowered position.

A spring 90, Figs. 1b and 2b, connected to the shaft 87 at one end and to the base 71 at the other, causes this slight upward move- .ment of the bed to enable the shaft 78 to pass thev dead center when gravity, aided" by said spring, will cause the bed to be lowered when a plate holder has passed clear thereof.-

Means are provided to cause the bed to be" automatically raised when a plate is being I I driven on to the bed by the chains. For this purpose there is secured to the middle of the shaft 87 a collar '91 having an extension 92 shown in Fig. 1b, forming a lip. Adjacent to the collar 91 is a loose arm 93 carrying an extension 94 forming a lip which is adapted to enga e the lip 92. These 1i s are kept. in

contact y a spring 137 coiled a out the shaft 87 and'pressing against the back of the arm 93. The arm 93 is shown in normal-position in Fig. 5 andwhen a plate holder approaches it from the left it moves such arm to the po'- sition, shown in Fig. 6 thereby raising the bed 70 just as the plate is about to pass there- The purpose of raising the bed at this time is to bring the plate into contact with an inking roller vandwith the wiping. and polishing mechanisms.

The inking system consists of a fountain 100 open at the'bottom and exposed to a roller 101.

It is desirable that this roller be constantly rotated to prevent the ink from drying or accumulating on its lower portion. Mechanism for accomplishing such rotation is con-- structed and operates as follows:

Two small sprocket wheels 102 and 103 permanently engage above and below one of the chains 22 as shown in Fig-19. These sprocket wheels are also shown in Fig; 13.

The shafts of these sprocket wheels carry on their ends smaller sprocket wheels 104 and 105 respectively. The axis 107 of the roller 101 'carries two sprocket wheels 108 and 109 loosely mountedithereon. On the opposite side of each of these sprocket wheels is secured a ratchet wheel 110, secured to the axis 107,

each engaged by a pawl 111 secured to-the face of the sprocket. wheel, which pawls engage their respectiveratchet wheels in the same direction. A sprocket chain connects the sprocket wheels 104 and 109 and another ter which way sprocket chain connects the wheels 105 and 108. By this. construction the roller 101 is alwaysrotated in the same direction no matthe chains 22 happen to be travelling. y g

The ink which is taken up by the roller 101 is transferred \tothe plate throughthe medium ofa roller 112 and a roller-113. .The.

roller 112 however, is normally free from contact wlth the rollers 101 and 113 and assumes this position when the bed is in its lowered' position. When the bed'is raised,

however, means are provided whereby the roller 112 drops down and transmitszmotion from the roller 101 to the roller 113 which then applies ink to the'plater 1 I The bed70 effects this control of the roller 112 by means of two arms '114 and 115extending in opposite directions from the bed and passing through slots in the side of the base 71. Extending upwardly from each arm114 and 115 on either side of the base is a link 116, the other ends of these links being connected respectively to two levers 117 pivoted intermediate their ends to stub shafts extending 116 move upwardly with the bed, the levers 117 rock about their pivots and permit the roller 112 to be lowered and establish a connectionbetween the roller 101and the roller 113 and the ink taken up by the roller 101 is transmitted .to roller 113 and hence to the,

plate.

The wiping and polishing mechanism After the plate has been inked it immediately passes to the wiping mechanism and then to the polishing mechanism. These mechanisms are supported by the same frame members 72 already referred'to. It is desirable to reciprocate the parts which come into actual contact with the plate and for this purpose two bars 120 and 121 are provided. These bars pass through openings in the members 72 which openings provide forire ,ciprocatory movement of the bars across the bed70. Between the members 72 these bars bear against a bridge 122, Fig. 13 and Fig.

1b,' screwed between the inside faces of the members 72.

Each bar carriesat its center a bracket 123 having an elongated slot 126 therein, the bracket for the bar 120 being shown in Fig. 13. U-shaped wipers 124 fit over the bars 120 and 121 and through them from side to;

side pass short shafts 125, Figs. 1--b and 13,

these shafts also extending through the slots in the brackets 123. Thereis a bar 120 and a bar 121 for the wipers shown in. Fig. 1b

and another set of bars and 121 for the polishers 124a situated just to the right of the wipers. They both operate in substantially the same way and are driven by the same mechanism.

Reciprocatory motion of the bars 120 and 121 is transmitted to the wipers 124 through the medium of'the brackets123 and shafts 125. a g

In order to permit adjustment of the pressure of the wipers against the plate the brack- *ts 123 have their slots 126- slightly elongate-d.

Springs 127 fit over lugs 128 on the wipers and rest against wedge-shaped wear plates 130 which have circular openings therein and are adapted tomove up and down on the pins 132 carried by the reciprocatory bars 120 and .121. The tension of the springs 127 and 128 may be varied by wedge-shaped members 133 having slots therein throu h whichthe pins 132 pass, the under face 0 each wedge bearing against a wear plate 130. Longitudinal adjustment of the wedges is provided in the form of screw-threaded rods 135 and 136, one for each member 133, these rods being attached to the Wedges so as to permit rotary motion of the rods, the opposite end of each rod being squared to receive a suitable tool for turning the, rod. It will be readily noted that movement of these rods will cause greater or less tension to be applied to the wipers by the springs 127.

In order to limit the downward movement ofthe wipers'under action of these springs,

limiting stop members 138, Fig. 13, are screwed to the inside upper face of a wiper.

These are engaged by lugs 139 depending from the bars 120 and 121, the length of the lugs being such thatthey prevent the shafts 1 25 from touching the bottom of the slots 126.

It is desirable that the bars 120 and 121 be reciprocated only when a plate is about to pass under the wipers. Therefore, means are provided whereby when the bed 70 is raised as just described current will be turned on to a motor which operates to reciprocate these bars. For this purpose an ordinary electric switch 140 is provided, Fig. 1b, which has an arm 142 having a forked end which engages the arm 115 which, it will be remembered, projects from the right side of the bed 70 asshown in Fig. 13. i The arm 142 and switch 140 are also shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1b. The switch is so constructed that when the bed is in its upper position current is turned on to an electric motor 143, Figs. 12 and 13. One end of the motor shaft carries a beveled pinion 144 which meshes with a horizontal beveled gear wheel 145 turning about the shaft 146 supported by-a bracket 147, Fig. 13. The upper face of the gear 145 carries an eccentric 148, Fig. 12, whose rod 149 is provided with a head 150 movable in a-slot 151 in a threearmed member 152 pivoted at 153 and supported b a suitable When the motor is in operation, therefore,

the eccentric will cause the three-armed member to be rocked and the bars 120 and 121 to be reciprocated in opposite directions, thus moving the wipers in opposite directions across theface of the plate.

' The polishing mechanism is constructed exactly like the wiping mechanism which has just been described, the polishers124abeing reciprocated in the same way by a threearmed member similar to the three-armed member 152, there being a rod 154 attached to the head 150 underneath the three-armed member 152 so that the same eccentric driven from the motor operates both the wipers and 010th feeding mechanism The cloth for the wiper is carried on a supply roll 156, Figs. 12 and 13, and passes under a directing roller 157, then half round the deflecting roller 158 (see also Figs. 1Z and 12) which is placed -at an angleof 45 with the bed and therefore causes the cloth to take the direction of the bed. The cloth then passes over roller 159 (Fig. 1Ib) and then around under the wipers 124 and up over the rollers 160 and 161 and about the deflecting roller 162 and between the feed rollers 163 and. 164, thence to the take-up roller 165. j The cloth for the polisher is supplied from roller 166 and passes over the directing roller 167 around a deflecting roller 168 and over the roller 169, then around the polishers 124a and over the roller 170, then around the defleeting roller 171. It then also passes between the feed rollers 163 and 164 and is taken up by the 'roller 172.

The several rollers just described are supported in suitable brackets extending from rectly b these members.

The irecting rollers 157 and 167' are pro- 7 I vid'ed to properly direct the cloth from the supply rolls 156 and 166 to the deflecting rollers 158 and 168 respectively as the supply rolls diminish in size. V

' The feeding of the cloth is brought about by movement of the bed 70 from" its lower to its upper position, since it is desirable to have a fresh portion of cloth positioned under the wipers and "also a fresh portion positioned under the olishers when the plate is approaching t eposition when it is to be wiped and polished. Therefore, the same-"arm 115 which has already been described as performing the. function of connecting the motor for reciprocating the wipers, is also availed of to feed the cloth. Connected to the arm 115, therefore, is a rod 174, the connection being somewhat loose to permit of slight lateral motion as the rod. does not move in the'same plane as the arm. The other end of the rod is connected to one end of a bellcrank lever 175 pivoted at 176 to a bracket 177, 13. One. arm of the bellcrank lever 175 is slotted, 12, andadjustably secured in this slot is one endof a rod 178 which leads up to and is connected with the end of an arm 179 loose on the extension of a collar which turns about theend of the axis of the feed roller 163."""'Secured to this axis is a ratchet wheel '180 with which a pawl 181 on the arm 179 the bed 7 O israised, the feed roller 163 will.

engages.

It will therefore be seen that each tlme reason of the fact that it is not mechanically feasible to give to the pawl 181 more than 120 of angular. movement and since it is frequently desirable to give to the cloth a linear movement of as much as four inches, the large feed roller has been used.

Operation of the take-up rolls is per formed by the same motor 143 which recip rocates the wipers andp'olishers, and for this purpose-the shaft of the motor has secured to it a pulley 182, Fig. 12. This drives a belt which passes over another pulley 184 on a shaft 185. This shaft also carries two other. pulleys. 186 and 187 shown in dotted lines, Fig. 13. The pulley 186 is connected to a pulley'188 secured to the axis which gui'ns the take-up roller 165, by a cross-slip The-pulley 187 is connected to a pulley 189 secured to the axis which turns the takeup roller172 by a slip belt which, however, is not crossed. -By this means the take-up feed rollers-are turned in the proper direction and the slip belts provide for the different amounts which these rollers need to be turned in order to take up the slack as the rollers increase n size.

- Since this invention contemplates the duplication of the various mechanisms for handling the plates by adding an additional tier or tiers of these mechanisms and increasing the height of the printing head to correspond, the described arrangement of the take-up and feed rollersat the side is of particular advantage. If such rollers were placed above the wiping and polishing mechanisms,- the height of the press would go beyond all convenient limits with added tiers of plates and the mechanism necessary for the handling of the same.

Although a plate holder as itpasses onto under the wipers and polishers and this prevents the'bed from lifting the slight amount,

which it must do as previously'described, ow-

' however as the plate passes the last polishers 'acting as driving lu 124a, the spring 90 returns the bedto its lower position.

M It will be remembered that the plate whose progress is being described was a plate which was ejected from the printing head ata lower level and in passing under the hinged sections 26 and 27 of the upper tracks 21, the

rollers 29 of this plate raised both these sections, which due to the friction of their bearings, remained in set position as shown in except that-with the reversal of the driving chains, the lugs 34 are at this time in engagement with the lugs 42 of the plate and are At this position the switch 193 will be-opened to break the motor circuitat 195, Fig. 10.

It will also be remembered that a plate is always returned to the same level of the printing head from which it was previousy ejected. The plate whose excursion has just been traced was ejected from the lowest level and has been returned to the same position from whence it started.

Before describing'the operation and control of the printing head,'it will be logical' higher level, that is to say, when a plate holder is ejected onto the track 21 instead of onto the track 20. This operation will be understood by considering Figs. 4-1;, 5--a, '6a, 6b and 60. In .Fig. 4-a, a plate is shown as being pushed out of the head onto the track 21- at the left. Fig. 5 a shows- .such plate-holder completely outside of the head and in the full line position; the advancing rollers 29 are just about to engage Y the incline of the section 27. The following rollers 29 are just about to enter the gap in thetrack 21 in front of the pivot of the hinged section 26. The' front rollers did not pass into the gap because at, this time the center Of gravity of the plate and holder is within the head. Inthe dottedline position of the plate-holder shown in Fig. 5 ait has moved down to the track 20 and the weight of the plate'-holder.has forced down the sections 26 and 27 which were left up when the lower plate-holder passed into the head. Fig.

6a shows theplate as having advanced a little farther. advancing rollers 29 move down on the outside of the section 27, said. section remains in its lower position until the followingrollers 29 pass under it when it is raised thereby and then occupies the position shown.

in Fig. 6-b. The. plate passes on to the end of the tracks 20v where it operates, as previously described, to reverse the motor which drives the chains. The plate then begins Owing to the fact that the 75 Fig. 6. Therefore as this plate approaches 

